Fire Emblem: Suikoden III
by Link015
Summary: Yeah, this is an FE version of Suikoden III, the manga. Think dot Elibe, Legend of the Emblem, except for a different manga. Yep.


Chris: Another FE version of manga! Strangely enough, this manga is based off a game, Suikoden III. So I'm technically writing a story about a manga based off a game. Which is cool. Anyway, yeah...That's all the author notes I need so far...I guess.  
  
Mia: Chris doesn't own Suikoden III or FE. Deal with it.  
  
Chris: Uh huh.

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"To be brave as a lion and strong as a tiger, lighter than a feather and faster than an arrow, to not see any obstacle as too large or any distance too far. I believe I shall raise my child with these wishes in mind." A mother was holding her baby son in her arms.  
  
"You should choose a name for him, Hellene. One that will grant him the blessings from the spirits of the wind and earth!" Another woman spoke as she watched Hellene cradle the baby.  
  
"You're right. It's time he had a name. Zephiel. I'll call him Zephiel. It's an old Bern word for 'Arrow Feathers'."  
  
A few years passed and soon Zephiel was old enough to learn how to hunt. He sat on a young horse and his mentor, Jimba, was on another horse and his childhood friend, Nino, was on a young pony. Jimba paused and shot an arrow at a rabbit that was running away from them. He nailed the rabbit from behind and it slumped to the ground.  
  
"Wow, Jimba! I'll never be able to make a shot like that!" Zephiel exclaimed as he looked at him with reverence. Jimba looked at Zephiel and smiled.  
  
"Of course you will. Once you get the hang of it."  
  
"You're still such a baby, Zephiel! Who'd ever think you were the chief's son?" Nino said as she smirked at him.  
  
"Shut up, Nino!" He returned.  
  
Jimba positioned arms in a position made for shooting a bow and nodded at Zephiel. "You've always got to be one step ahead. If you were the prey, where would you go next? Draw your bow in that direction--and fire, like so. Got that Zephiel?"  
  
Zephiel nodded. "Uh-huh!" They continued riding when one of their fellow clan members rode up. He hailed Jimba and rode up next to him.  
  
"What's wrong, Desmond?" Jimba asked him.  
  
"Those vultures are sure making a racket...And they seem to be circling something. It looks like they're feasting on something over by those rocks." He looked to the east and pointed out the vultures over there. "We better go check it out."  
  
'Wow! Bern warriors are so cool!' Zephiel thought as he looked at them with awe plain on his features. They rode to the spot where the vultures were and scared them off. They looked at what the birds were feeding on. It was a full-grown gryphon, which was now dead.  
  
"Well, you don't see this everyday. A gryphon. An adventurer must have shot it down." Jimba looked at the gryphon's wings as they were spread out. "Guess we should take some feathers. We'll leave the rest for the birds." Zephiel and Nino ran up to the gryphon and began petting it and feeling its feathers.  
  
"You two, don't play with that!" Desmond looked sternly at the two kids as they looked at the dead gryphon.  
  
"We'd better be quick. The wolves will quickly catch the scent." Jimba looked at the gryphon's leg and felt the soft feathers on it.  
  
"Oh! Look! Look at this!" Zephiel shouted as he pointed at a small furry figure. They all crowded around what he saw. It was a baby gryphon. It slowly crept out from its mother's wing and looked at them. It let out a small 'kuee' noise and crept forward again. An hour or two later, they returned to the village and Jimba sought out Hellene, the chieftain. All around them were sounds of Bern villagers doing their daily chores and talking with one another.  
  
"Sigh...So the gryphon got shot while leading its baby along. He can be Zephiel's playmate for a while. Sergeant Oswin, you have some free time, don't you?" She motioned to a man of medium height and short brown hair. He brushed it back and sighed. She took a puff out of a long, smoking pipe and looked at him.  
  
"Not anymore, I guess." He looked at the ground.  
  
"Heh heh. Just keep an eye on them." She took out the pipe from her mouth and smiled. Suddenly, a loud scream echoed around the village town. Everyone looked around for the source of the noise.  
  
'Here we go.' Oswin thought as he walked towards a screaming Zephiel. "What's wrong, Zephiel?"  
  
"He got nipped by Makar." Nino stated as she looked worriedly at Zephiel, who was rubbing his hands. Makar was leashed to a rope that was tied down to a stake and hopped around nervously.  
  
"..." Zephiel looked at his hands and sniffled. Tears of pain were forming in his eyes.  
  
"Makar? Oh, you've named it already? Never reach out your hand to it, even though it looks harmless. And remember, a Bern man never cries." Oswin said to Zephiel as he watched him. Zephiel suddenly dashed off and came back holding a caterpillar in his hands. He placed it in front of Makar and waited, smiling. Makar looked at the caterpillar nervously then leapt forward and ate it. Nino gasped in surprise.  
  
"Ah! He ate it! He ate it!" She said, standing over Makar. Zephiel reached out his hand to Makar to pet him but the gryphon bit him on the finger. Zephiel leapt up and yelled out in pain and started to cry. Oswin just looked on, sighing. Two more years had passed and Sergeant Oswin was now lecturing the kids on a lesson about gryphons.  
  
"Gryphons are some of the most beautiful creatures ever born on Elibe. Endowed with the powers of eagles and lions, they fear no one. However, their uniqueness puts a price on their heads and 'adventurers' hunt them for the bounty." Sergeant Oswin said as he lectured Nino, Zephiel, and a younger kid named Nils. "These so-called 'adventurers' are trouble. If a Bern man came upon ten gryphons, he would kill only one and leave the rest. But those jerks would try to kill them all. Many of them are just like bandits. They would never share their spoils." He sighed and looked sad. "But I guess...whether it's a noble Bern or a despicable adventurer--it makes no difference to the beasts who shoots them down."  
  
The kids were all solemn as they looked at Sergeant Oswin. Zephiel heard Makar cry out for help and raced over to where he heard the screeching. He picked up a stick and began waving it at a goat he had seen tormenting Makar. Makar was hiding under a house and the goat was peering under the gap to spot him. He chased it off, yelling at it.  
  
"Hey come on! You again?! You scared Makar, you stupid old goat!" He bent down to the gap and peered at Makar. "It's okay, Makar, come on. Come on out of there." Makar slowly inched out of the gap and Zephiel held him up. "For a gryphon, you're a bit of a coward. But don't worry, I'll protect you! After all, we're friends!" That night, Zephiel and Makar slept in the stables, a blanket covering Zephiel and Makar sleeping peacefully, curled up beside him. Sergeant Oswin and Hellene watched them as they slept. 5 more years past, and Makar was now a full-grown gryphon. Zephiel and Nino were 15 and Nils was 9.  
  
Makar stood out on the plains near Zephiel's village. He crooned to the skies in a savage cry of power and turned his head to the skies. Zephiel came running at Makar!  
  
"Makar! Let's get you some food!" He ran up to him and hugged his feathery neck. Makar let out a happy 'kueee' and rubbed against Zephiel. Zephiel was lifted a little bit in the air and he hugged Makar one more time. "You'll have to practice flying soon." Both of them walked into the village, with people watching them. They passed Hellene, Jimba, and Nils. Nils was perched on Jimba's head and laughing. Hellene looked at Makar as they passed. She turned to Jimba.  
  
"It's about time...right?"  
  
Jimba looked at the fading figure of Zephiel. "I guess so."  
  
The next morning dawned and Zephiel was getting worried about Makar. He had searched almost the whole village and he didn't see him! He was getting frantic, calling his name wherever he went. "Makar! Makar! Where did you g- ?" He had finally found him, along with the rest of the villagers. They were surrounding a wooden cage that surrounded Makar. Hellene had her hand on the cage and no one was facing Zephiel. Hellene finally faced him.  
  
"Sorry, Zephiel, but we just can't allow him around town any longer. A gryphon is a wild beast. If we waited too long to get him out of town, he could kill someone."  
  
Makar glared balefully out of the cage and Zephiel stared at Hellene, rage in his eyes. "But he's already full grown--and he hasn't hurt anybody yet!" He shouted at her.  
  
She just looked at him indifferently. "There's a merchant that's coming here who'll buy him."  
  
Zephiel recalled a memory of when he first found the gryphon. He recalled Jimba saying, 'I guess we should take some feathers--and the talons. After all, they'd bring a lot of money!' He turned to them. "Makar isn't a thing! He's my friend! Mom, if you planned this all along...then you're no better than those adventurers!"  
  
She sighed and looked at him again. "You want me to risk keeping him around just so you can keep petting him...? At least a guard dog can protect your house and livestock. All Makar does is eat your food."  
  
Zephiel ran up to her. "I'll do anything! I'll get serious with my fighting practice! Anything for Makar! Please, mom!"  
  
Hellene sighed again. "It's no use, Zephiel. Don't keep asking when you already know the answer." She and Jimba walked away. "And don't make promises you won't keep."  
  
Zephiel's shoulders shook with anger. "Mom, you stupid jerk! You're a big worrywart!"  
  
Jimba looked at Hellene. 'He may have a point.' He suggested a compromise of sorts to Hellene as they walked away from Zephiel. "Perhaps we should wait 'til Zephiel gets over his hurt feelings."  
  
"You always give in too easily." Hellene replied. She scratched her hair nervously, though. 'Maybe I was a little too hard on him.' As they walked away, Zephiel stared at the sky, tears of anger in his eyes.  
  
That night, all of the villagers started to cause a commotion. They all gathered where Makar's cage was. Hellene stared at the open cage, its door lying on the ground. "That little fool!"  
  
Zephiel and Makar stopped at the edge of a river far away from the Bern village. A wolf howled at the moon nearby. Zephiel patted Makar's face one last time. "Y'understand Makar? You can never go back to town. Keep an eye for adventurers and wolves." He hugged Makar. "I thought we'd be together...forever." Zephiel mounted his horse that he'd ridden on. "Good luck! Now go get yourself some food!" Makar stared at Zephiel as he rode away and let out a cry of goodbye. As Zephiel rode back to his hometown, memories of the good times he had with Makar raced through his mind. He remember them playing together, sleeping together, and eating together. Suddenly, a loud screech pierced the air. Zephiel stopped his horse in surprise. 'Was that...Makar?' He quickly rode back where he had left Makar.  
  
"Kuuee! Kuuue! Kueee!" Makar was trying to free his leg from a steel trap. It was attached securely to a tree and Makar couldn't escape. Zephiel dismounted from his horse and raced over to him. He scanned the trap and groaned in despair.  
  
"It's not a Bern trap! Why did this have to happen now?!" He noticed Makar struggling and trying to escape. He placed a hand on Makar's back. "Don't struggle! You'll be okay!" However, Makar tensed and looked around. Hugo noticed this change in his nature and also scanned the countryside. Makar spotted tensed again and growled at seven wolves that had appeared behind them. Zephiel turned and saw them also. He took out a knife from the sheath at his back and stood nervously. The wolves howled and charged at them. Zephiel quickly fought back at one that leapt at him. He slashed it across the chest and prepared himself for more attacks. Another one leapt at his neck and he quickly sidestepped and cut that wolf across the throat. Zephiel stopped and panted, unused to such strenuous fighting. One of the wolves bit Makar on the leg and he let out a screech of pain. Zephiel was quickly at his side and took out that wolf also. Unknown to him, however, another wolf jumped at him from behind. Makar let out a warning cry and Zephiel turned around. The wolf tackled him to the ground, reaching for his neck. Zephiel was trying his hardest to get the wolf away.  
  
"Uaah...Run, Makar!" Zephiel shouted, holding back the wolf's mouth. Memories raced through Makar's head as he heard Zephiel cry out his name. The gryphon remember the times when they would fish together, run and play together, and he remembered when Zephiel had called him his friend. With his gryphon strength, he pulled against the trap. The tree creaked and groaned as it was slowly being pulled out by its roots. The wolves turned to Makar in astonishment. Makar tackled the wolves with his one good leg and bit and scratched at him. Zephiel looked at Makar with awe as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
'Wow...Makar's so strong! Huh? I feel so...' Zephiel's eyes closed as he fainted. He woke up later that night. The Bern villagers were having a party to commemorate Zephiel and Makar being hailed as warriors. There was food, wine, and music throughout the whole camp. Zephiel tapped an iron ring around Makar's foot.  
  
"I hope you like your new warrior bracelet!" Zephiel also had one around his wrists. "It's just like the one I have!" Makar let out a screech of happiness and everyone was laughing.  
  
Zephiel smiled with joy. 'The way I heard it...A wounded Makar came back to Bern carrying me on his back. As soon as I opened my eyes, mom gave me a big hug. She'd already accepted Makar as a Bern. "I guess we'll have Makar take on the job of protecting you." she said, smiling.'  
  
At the party, Jimba picked up a guitar and yelled, "Now I'll sing in celebration of these two becoming warriors!"  
  
A villager nearby whispered to his companion. "I've been waiting for this."  
  
Everyone watched as Jimba strummed the first notes. He took in a deep breath and began to sing.  
  
"We are the children of the earth. Let the silver goblet be filled. Born in the cradle of the plains. We'll have a feast with you, you immortals. Until we make the plains our coffins. Let the golden goblet be filled. We'll have a feast for you, our friends. We'll have a feast for you, our brothers. Hooray, hooray, hooray!"  
  
Year 474 of the sun calendar--the Grasslands, where the Bern lived, went to war with the Lycian Confederation, a rising nation to the west. A quarrel over the small toll that Grasslanders were charging others to cross their lands grew into a full-scale border dispute. Fighting between the six clans, which were Bern, Santaruz, Ostia, Bulgar, Lorca, Worde, and the Knights of Lycia has now become a quagmire with no end in sight.

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Chris: Yes, I realize Makar is the name of a pegasus and not a gryphon. I just thought to use it because I'm trying to make it more FEish. And I realize I could have put pegasus's instead of gryphons. But then I would have had to modify a lot of things. And yes, Bern, Santaruz, Ostia, Bulgar, Worde, and the Lorca tribe have nothing in common. I'm just pulling things from there. Don't blame me for stuff I can't control. There's not enough cities in Bern. Yep. And Jimba is the name used in the manga. I didn't replace it for one good reason...That I can't tell you yet. Anyway, if you have any other complaints, put it in a review. If you want to compliment me, same thing. Now, do whatever you do. 


End file.
